I'm Falling
by Vitality Palmer
Summary: What if Eddie Macintosh actually did hold a gun in his hand when three unexpected visitors appear at his shop? What if he isn't actually as nice as he wants them to think? What if, he's after the moola for himself? Henry x Maggie
1. Nearly Escaped

**So, I just had this idea while watching the newest episode. :3 I know, I'm evil evil. But, stories are just more interesting this way. At least, for me. This is a little drabble/one-shot. I may do a second chapter, if this get's interest. For now, please enjoy and review. Each review is another step telling me to continue writing. Or stop, whatever you like! :D**

**Yay! Menry? Haggie? *giggle* I'm torn between Jasper x Maggie and Henry x Maggie. Jasper and Maggie have a sweet relationship, and romance is implied, but something about Henry and Maggie's little moments get's me liking their pairing a tad better. ^^**

**Disclaimer: **I own no one and nothing at all. :3 Mkay?

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"What do you want?" a gruff voice bellowed, the sound bouncing off the walls and echoing around the room.

Silence followed, the three figures that had entered the shop stopped dead in their tracks. Once the gun was held in sight, they stood stock still, the muffled sounds of their breathing the only thing that told them this wasn't a dream. This was reality. Or , if you will, living hell.

"Are you Eddie Macintosh?" Henry finally asked, not stuttering in the least.

The gun moved in the air, the hand that held it pointing directly at the boy. "What's it to ya?" the man said. A small _click_ was heard as the gun was cocked, in preparation to pull the trigger. Maggie stepped forward slightly, wrapping her hands around Henry's arm in fear and worry. As if her being there would keep him safe.

Henry glanced at Maggie, placing his free hand over her own in a comforting gesture. "Well, we just wanted to know if you knew anything about where the money Dillinger stole was buried? The money he said belongs to no one?" Henry asked, his voice more careful now as he glanced at Maggie and Jasper.

The man, Eddie Macintosh, moved away from the shadows, gun still pointed at the three teens standing in front of him. "I don't know nothing', but you lot do." he mumbled, stepping closer still.

Henry pushed Maggie behind him, Jasper following suit. "Sir? Please, you must know something." Henry pressed.

"No, but you do!" Eddie said, grabbing something from the table beside him, the gun pointed at them all the while. Then, with quick but clumsy movements, he lunged forward and grabbed Henry.

Henry pulled away easily, but in the time he was considering if it was okay to hit the old man, he himself was hit over the head with a car muffler by a shadowy figure. He fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Henry!" Maggie and Jasper cried together. But before they could think to run, the old man and the man that hit Henry had grabbed them. They struggled, but quickly had their hands and feet tied.

"Now shut up and quite your squirming or I'll shoot." Eddie said, pointing the gun at an unconscious Henry. Maggie and Jasper stopped moving, glancing at Henry with worried expressions.

"Now that you are all so. . . conveniently immobilized. Tell me everything you know about the money!" Eddie kept his gun pointed at Henry, and Maggie shook slightly beside Jasper.

"Don't hurt him! We don't know anything! It's only for a school assignment, and we thought you might be able to help us." Maggie said, watching Eddie carefully. Her heart raced, and her eyes fought to allow the tears to spill.

"You little liar. I bet your one of those, those smart know-it-alls with the rich daddy." Eddie taunted her, laughing. Maggie turned away and buried her face into Jasper's sleeve to keep from shooting back a discourteous remark.

"Throw 'em into the closet. We can deal with them later. For now, take their bags, they might have something." Eddie moved forward and quickly snatched Maggie's bag from her, laughing all the while. The man pulled them towards a door in the back of the shop and roughly shoved them inside. Eddie dragged Henry over, but soon doubled over in pain, complaining of back problems.

The other man lifted Henry himself and threw him inside, slamming the door with a load bang and then a click, signaling it's locking. And leaving them trapped.

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"Hang on Maggie, almost. . . Got it!" Jasper said triumphantly, holding the rope up in front of her. He them continued trying to untie his own ankles. It was lucky Maggie had been able to untie the knot from Jasper's tie backwards. It had taken her about ten minutes, with the minimal movement her hands did have from behind her back.

"Thanks!" Maggie quickly untied her feet, and glanced around the dark room, rubbing her wrists. She stood, and almost instantly fell backwards agents the wall. The darkness spun around her, making her thoughts swim.

"You okay, Mags?" Jasper asked. She quickly regained composure and stepped forward, fumbling with the opposite wall until her figures touched something that stuck out of the wall. She pushed and pulled, and finally was able to turn on a dim light that hung from the ceiling.

Spinning around, she dropped to her knees beside Henry, who lay limply on the other side of the small room. She moved his head onto her lap, seeing the dried blood that coated the back of his head from the blow he took earlier. The bleeding had stopped, so she wasn't to worried. The only problem was waiting for him to wake. She silently prayed he didn't have a concussion. . . Or worse.

With a long sigh and a heavy heart, she began working on the knot that bound his wrists together. "Henry? Henry, wake up." she whispered as she worked. He groaned, shifting slightly. "Henry." Maggie said again, tugging at the knot gently. It finally came loose and she removed the rope, grabbing one of Henry's hands. "Henry. Please wake up." she whispered, squeezing his hand tightly. For a moment they sat like that, before Maggie could feel a gentle squeeze in return.

"Henry!" she said, smiling. Slowly, he began to sit up, rubbing the back of his head and wincing.

"Hey." he mumbled, smiling lightly at Maggie. Before she could stop herself, Maggie had lurched forward and engulfed Henry in a rib-breaking hug. For a second Henry did nothing, but soon wrapped his arms around her, too. "Thanks Nurse Maggie." he mumbled into her ear.

Jasper cleared his throat from his position across the room, and the two quickly broke apart, glancing around the room. Color crawled up Maggie's face, and she started playing with a strand of her hair. Finally, Henry spoke. "Soooo, anyone have a plan on getting out of here and away from the nutcase?" he asked. Grunting slightly, he got to his feet, swaying slightly. Maggie was quickly at his side, steadying him. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, a silent thank you passed between them.

Henry moved towards the locked door, Maggie right at his heels. He fiddled with the knob for a while, but Maggie looked around the doorframe, her eyes finally on the door knob. "Wait, try this." she said, pulling a bobby pin out of her pocket and handing it to Henry. Maggie didn't often use bobby pins, but kept them in her pockets, just in case there was ever a hair emergency. Or in this case, a locked door that needed opening.

After a moment, Henry kicked the door, hard. Taking this as a bad sign, Maggie sighed, falling to the floor. "Great." she muttered. She sat there for a while, arms wrapped around her knees, with her chin resting on them. Jasper still hadn't moved from where he was at the other side of the room. Maggie glanced up at him, but she only gave a sympathetic look and shrugged. She lost track of how long the quiet rattling went on in the room as Henry fumbled with the pin. But then, the fumbling rhythm was broken by a small click.

The three glances at each other, and Henry silently handed the pin back to Maggie. Jasper was at his side quickly, and after a moment reached for the knob. Turning it slowly, the door creaked open and Jasper peeked his head out before pushing it open all the way. He moved and Maggie soon followed, Henry close behind her. They were almost free.

Almost, being the key word. As Maggie was about to exit the room, a gunfire rang out, and Maggie slumped forward. Henry lunged towards her and help her tightly, looking around. She lay in his arms, eyes shutting slowly. Red blood had already started to blossom on her shirt, at her shoulder. "Henry. . . Run." she whispered, she eyes finally closing completely, she grip on his shoulders loosening as she went limp. Henry held her tightly still, looking around the room. Another shot rang out and Henry ducked instinctively. Jasper had moved to stand beside them, but Henry quickly waved him off, and he sprang away, sprinting through the dimly light area and out of sight. This time the gun shot blindly whirled through the air, and Henry nearly doubled over in pain as it hit him near the ankle.

Lifting Maggie bridal style, Henry cautiously looked around before following his cousin. The gun rang out randomly now, hitting a tin can on a table as Henry passed, and the door marking their exit as Henry moved out of the way. With a final effort, he swung the door open and ran as quickly as he could, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his foot. The gunshots were still going off, ringing in Henry's ears as he ran, but they dimmed, signaling Eddie Macintosh hadn't bothered to follow them. Right now, all Henry wanted was to get Maggie out of here. She hadn't moved since, and he worried greatly.

Suddenly, Henry found himself oddly reminded of his many chats with Jasper. He knew Jasper had asked Maggie out once, and she had denied. Well, she hadn't really replied. Though over the past few weeks, as he got to know Maggie, he found himself having strange feelings when he was with her. It was hard to describe them, but he knew one thing: He had never felt this way before.

Now, as Henry half limped, half ran down the street, he was met by Jasper and a waiting ambulance. Policemen flooded the area, running towards the shop as Henry ran away. Almost before he could stop, Henry felt Maggie being lifted out of his arms. For a split second he wanted to protest, but was reminded that these people were going to help. Things seemed to slow down, as if Henry was seeing things in slow motion.

Jasper, waving a hand in front of his face, Maggie being lifted into the back of the ambulance, the police officers swarming around them, asking questions that he couldn't hear. Finally, things started to blur, the pain of his own injury catching up to him. He fell forward, still watching as the paramedics hovered over Maggie. Finally, the sounds stopped, and everything went black.


	2. So Broken

Gosh! Thanks so much for the kind reviews! I'm really grateful for the thoughts you put into them. =D I wasn't planning on putting up a chapter so quickly, but I can't help myself. I'm excited!

So now, this is sort of more a filler chapter. Sorry if any of the hospital stuff is un-accurate. I have a good amount of experiences working in medical settings, but not enough for diagnosis and the likes. Don't attack me over them, cuz I tried not to add any! Now, onward! =) Please review, leave your opinions! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: **Nope, don't own anything.

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His eyes were met with a bright light that sent another surge of pain through his body. Henry blinked quickly as his eyes began to adjust to the sudden light. He tried to look around, but his eyes still saw only brightness that obstructed his view. Shifting slightly, Henry found himself tumbling to the floor with a thud.

"Owww." he muttered, sitting up. At last he could see where he was. He lay in his hammock, back in Jasper's room. Well, did lay is more accurate. Now, he sat on the floor, having fallen right out of the material. Glancing down, he noted his ankle wrapped tightly in bandages. The pain had subsided into a constant throb, from the painful stabbing it felt like before.

Before? What time was it? Where was Jasper? More importantly, where was Maggie? Henry listened, the faint beat of footsteps was just notable from somewhere downstairs. He lifted himself up off the floor, swaying a tab as he steadied himself. With a sigh, he stepped towards the door, opened it, and headed down the stairs.

"Jasper? Uncle Bryan?" he called through the house, but there was no reply. Henry could still hear footsteps from inside the house, and turned into the living room. From somewhere close, he heard a muffled _bang_. Henry nearly tripped as he limped into the kitchen and towards the door. Looking out the window, he caught sight of something, or someone, leaving the house quickly.

"What are you doing?" Henry whirled around, to see Jasper standing at the other side of the kitchen, an odd expression on his face. Henry let out a relieved sigh.

"I saw someone outside. I heard footsteps, inside. Someone must have broke in." he explained, and soon Jasper was laughing. "What are you laughing at?" Henry spat, angered.

"Henry, I've been walking around the house. And the door is closed, see?" Jasper said, pointing to the indeed securely closed door. Henry glanced up at him, still unsure. "I know I saw something." he muttered under his breath, limping away from the door.

Suddenly he stopped, turning back to Jasper. "Where's Maggie?" he asked urgently.

"Hospital. They sai-" Jasper was cut off by Henry already heading through the living room towards the door.

"Can you drive us there?" he asked, grabbing Jasper's keys from the table and throwing them at him. Jasper nearly caught them, but they went tumbling to the floor. He smiled, embarrassed, and quickly picked them up.

"You might want to rest, Henry. You were knocked out cold." Jasper began, but Henry cut him off quickly, holding up a hand and grabbing his jacket from the closet.

"Who are you, my mother? Let's go." he demanded, already out the door before Jasper could protest. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he followed, slamming the door behind him.

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They got to the hospital quickly, and Henry found himself hopping out of the car before Jasper could even stop it. Henry had limped towards the entrance and was already antagonizing the poor receptionist when Jasper walked in. He quickly pushed Henry away and asked if they could see Margaret Winnock, to which the receptionist seemed relived to get rid of their presences in her office. She waved them off to the 3rd floor, telling them Margaret was in room 353. They headed for the elevator in silence.

"Is she okay?" Henry found himself asking. He must have been asleep for a while, because Maggie had already been admitted to the hospital for a few days.

"She wasn't really responsive when I saw her yesterday, she's been asleep. But the doctors say she should be okay." Jasper explained. The elevator dinged, signaling their stop at the 3rd floor. The doors opened soon after, and the pair walked down the long, clean aisle slowly.

Henry was glancing around, clearly nervous and worried about Maggie. At last, room 353 was before them, and the two boys glanced at each other before pushing open the door and entering one at a time.

Maggie lay on her back, in the single hospital bed in the room. The many machines and tubes around made Henry feel dizzy. An IV was stuck in her arm, and a heart monitor was in place on her chest, the wires running down her arm to the machine. She lay quietly on the bed, not moving, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

The two moved towards her, each taking a seat in a chair on either side of her bed. Without thinking, Henry took hold of her soft, pale hand, stroking it gently. She didn't stir, and they sat for a while, just watching her.

After about half an hour, Jasper stood up. "I'm gonna go down to get something to eat. Want anything?" he asked on his way out.

"No thanks." Henry called, and the door shut with a _click_ as Jasper left. Henry turned his attention back to Maggie, who still hadn't made a sound. Glancing over his shoulder once more to be sure Jasper wasn't coming back, he sighed.

"Mags. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to protect you." he began, stroking her hair away from her face. "I wish I could change what happened. Then you wouldn't be laying here, hurt." Henry sighed, squeezing her hand tightly.

"I wish I was in your place. I hate to see you so, broken." he continued, for the first time in years, his voice grew shaking. He turned away, his eyes watering. He blinked away the tears quickly. As he did, he could feel a gentle squeeze in return. Henry looked up, just as Maggie's eyes fluttered open.

"I hate to hear you talk like this." she whispered, her voice barley audible. Henry found himself grinning at her, a sigh of relief escaping his lips.

"Mags. Gosh, I was so worried about you. How do you feel?" he asked. Maggie shifted under the covers, trying to sit up. Henry quickly moved to help her, placing another pillow behind her back. She smiled gratefully as she fell back agents them.

"Honestly? Like I was hit by a truck. But what about you?" she asked, reaching for his hand once more. Henry had let go of her own when he was helping her with the pillows. Now he held onto her hand tightly.

"Fine. Don't worry about me." he said quickly. Henry was sure no one had informed her of his own bullet to the leg, and he didn't plan on telling her. Henry sat down, Maggie leaning towards him slightly. Before Henry realized it, they were only inches apart, and he was overwhelmed with emotion. Henry began to lean forward, closing the gap between them.

"Hey Henry- Maggie! Your awake!" the two jumped apart, awkwardly glancing around the room. Henry shifted uncomfortably in his chair, scratching the back of his head. Had Jasper seem what they almost did? By the excited look on his face, the answer seemed negative. Henry let out a relieved sigh, glancing at Maggie.

"Yep, I'm awake!" Maggie sang. Jasper smiled, plopping down in his chair at Maggie's left.

"So, any plans on solving this mystery?" Jasper wondered out load, glancing between the two.

"Actually, I've got some ideas. . ." Henry said, a sly grin plastered on his face. The trio's voices faded to hushed whispers, already preparing for their mission. Things were only just beginning.


	3. Surprise, Surprise

Hey all! As excited as I am to get on with the action? I hope so! =D I've been working a lot lately, so don't expect such quick updates from here on in. Actually, expect updates about once a week. ABOUT! ;) Can't keep away for to long. Those darn little plot bunnies. You know how it is. They sit at my feet all day long at work, and then I've itching to write when I get back home.

Anyway, a little more action for you. I hope you enjoy this chapter! It gave me a bit of trouble, and I re-wrote more than one scene. -_- Trying to find a good mix of fluff and adventure for you, to make everyone happy.

Anyway, deleted scenes, after the respected chapter they correspond with, or do I stick them all together and add them at the very end, like extras? Your call, tell me in a review!

And last thing I wanna know! My writing style? Like it, hate it? Give me critique for improvement? I'm 15, is it easily noticeable through my writing? I noticed I use the words glance, shrug, and sigh often. I'm trying to spice up the words, bare with me on those! Thanks!

Anyway, review please! On with the adventure!

**Disclaimer:** Nope. Own zip. Sadly.

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"Your going to regret you were ever born, boy. " the voice said, another man held tight to his wrists as he struggled, unable to free himself. With a sly grin, and slow movements, a loaded gun was aimed at a struggling figure laying tied on the floor. She stopped moving, her eyes frantic, darting between the man and his hostage.

With a click, the gun was cocked. The boy struggled more, yelling frantically. "Let her go, stop, don't, take me! I'll tell you anything you want! Please." the voice was pained, tears streaming down his face in rivers as he spoke. The old man stepped forward slowly, his footsteps echoing through the room. He lifted the boys chin roughly.

"What would be the fun in that?" he hissed, the gun still pointed to the unmoving figure. She cried out in pain and agony, but did not yell to the man. With a snicker, he pulled the trigger, once, twice, and a third time. The gunshots rang out, a blood curdling scream filled the air, and silence followed.

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Henry let out a yell, tumbling to the floor with a thud. Covered in a cold sweat, shaking greatly, he sat up, the floor creaking under his weight. "Well doesn't this seem oddly familiar" he muttered, standing. With a sigh, Henry climbed out the window silently, sitting himself on the roof. The moon shone brightly, stars littering the dark sky.

"Just a dream, just a dream. . ." he muttered to himself, still shaking, whether from his mind's tricks or the cool night air, he couldn't be sure. "More a nightmare actually." he finally concluded. Henry sat there for a while, just watching the stars. Finally, he picked himself up and climbed down the side of the house. A sudden rush of adrenaline surged through his veins as he picked up speed and ran. Down the streets, the only sound reaching his ears was the drumming of his feet and the occasional car. He had no clue where he was going, but his feet knew. Soon, Henry found himself standing outside the dark, quiet house of Margaret Winnock.

With silent movements, he scaled the side of the house and now hung to the windowsill of a window. Maggie's window. Pulling himself up, he gazed into the dark room. Her room was neat and tidy, a small desk light the only thing illumination a corner, and a sleeping Maggie lay with her head on the desk. Studying, probably. With the schoolwork she'd missed being in the hospital, she had gone straight into her little 'mode' and must have fallen asleep working on homework. In honesty, Henry didn't mean to wake her, but his foot suddenly slipped, and he hit the side of the house with a bang. Maggie jumped, glancing around the room. Her eyes fell to the window, where a pair of hands were just visible on the sill. Groggily, she stood, brushing her hair back away from her face. As she opened the window, she was shocked at the sight. A tired Henry, in pajama pants and a basic t-shirt, hung form her windowsill.

"Henry! What- oh get in here!" she whispered furiously. Henry looked up, lifting himself inside the warm, cozy room. As Maggie shut the window, Henry found his eyes roaming her petite body. She wore a tank top that clung to her delicate frame, and short pajama shorts. Bandages wrapped around her right shoulder, covering the wound that took lot's of stitches to fix. As she looked up again, Henry snapped his eyes away, his attention on her face, her eyes.

"Now, will you explain to me what your doing here?" she asked sternly, glaring at him. Henry shifted, not meeting her piercing gaze. Finally, she laughed. Henry's head shot around to look at her.

"What?" he asked, confused. "Okay, I. . . had a bad dream, came outside. Started running. I don't know, I somehow ended up here. I can leave, sorry I bothered you." he said, already moving to open the window again. Maggie followed, quickly putting her small hand over his, stopping the action.

"Now what kind of a friend would I be if I let you back out into the cold?" she asked playfully. Henry was finally able to relax a little, and shrugged at her remark.

"Well. . ." he began, laughing. Maggie hit him in the arm, walking towards her bed.

"You can crash here if you want, Dad's away on call." she said, throwing him a pillow and blanket. Henry caught them with ease, flopping down onto the carpeted floor next to Maggie's bed. Maggie had climbed into bed, throwing the covers over herself and laying down with a sigh. The two lay quietly for a while, but Henry soon spoke up.

"Mags?" he muttered. She shifted in the bed, leaning over the side to look at him. "Am I. . . worthless?" he finally mused. Before she could get in a word, he was speaking again. "I mean, I've been around for a few months and somehow, trouble finds me. And with you and Jasper with me, it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt. I- I just don't know if I can handle something worse happening to you. And for what, some stupid mystery?" he finally pulled his pillow from under his head, slamming it agents his face. "Ishatehmeesefe" he said into the pillow, but it was incomprehensible.

Maggie sighed, reaching down to carefully pull the pillow away from his face. "You, Henry, are not worthless. Your smart, funny, incredible, and your Henry Griffin. The most un-worthless guy around." she said this all at a whisper, her eyes never leaving his. Her voices spoke matter-of-factly, and a small smile lit up her face in the dark room.

Henry couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks, Mags." he muttered, the pillow returned behind his head. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes, falling into a restless sleep.

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By the time Maggie woke the next day, it was only 6am. Shifting in her bed, Maggie glanced around the room, which was brightly lit by the morning sun. Her eyes fell on a neatly folded blanket and pillow stacked on her desk. She remembered now, that Henry had come in the middle of the night. Maggie threw off the covers, walking into the bathroom where she showered and changed quickly.

As she sorted through her homework, which still lay scattered over her desk, she couldn't help but wonder what Henry's dream had been about. After all, he'd never told her. With a last glance at her desk, Maggie headed out, the door echoing inside the empty house as it closed. However, that wasn't the only thing inside Maggie didn't hear.

She arrived at school notable early, meeting up with Jasper and Henry. Neither said anything about Henry's "outing" last night, and she found herself wondering if Jasper even knew Henry had gone. The school day dragged along, and when the final bell rang, the trio parted ways, each in a different direction. Maggie worked in the museum, Henry had his internship in the DOUM rooms, and Jasper, well, Jasper either had band practice, or just didn't fell like sticking around to wait for them to finish.

Now, they made their way to Eddie's Auto Shop, silence fell over them as they entered the yard.

"Shh, watch it!" Maggie warned as they slipped behind a car. Eddie Macintosh had just walked out of the shop, his pace staggering with age. He slumped into a car, and the engine roared to life. The car sped out of the yard, leaving them alone. For now.

Being careful to keep an eye out, they headed for the door. But when Henry tried to push it open, it stuck, locked. Maggie moved forward, bobby pin already in hand. She fiddled with the lock, and the door finally clicked open minutes later.

They entered cautiously, glancing around them. They had no idea who man that had hit Henry days before was, or if he worked in the shop, too. All seemed quiet, and they slipped around old cars to the back of the shop, where Eddie's office was located. This door was unlocked, and opened with a long, piercing screech.

"Alright, hurry up." Jasper said, already diving into a nearby box. Maggie and Henry followed suit, but Maggie soon stopped to glance at them.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" she asked, sifting through boxes in the closet once more. Henry looked up at her.

"Anything. Something unusual. The letter had to be a riddle, and if the next piece is anywhere, it's got to be with Eddie." Henry lifted a box of old car parts up to find what lay beneath.

"You mean, like these?" Maggie said frantically, excitement overtaking her voice. She pulled out an old box, and whin it, almost spilling form the sides, were hundreds of old license plates. Henry stepped towards them lifting a few out of the box.

"Yes! These must be from Dillinger, he robbed bands all over America. These must be from his getaway cars!" Henry stated, placing the plates he held back inside the box.

Jasper stepped forward, looking at the dusty old things. "Or, they could be old plates from the cars the man fixes?" he pointed out. Henry shook his head.

"Some of them have bullet holes in them. Come on, let's take them and-" he stopped, listening.

"Henry-" Maggie was quickly silenced. And the room was quiet. Outside the office, they could make out faint footsteps, gradually getting louder. They stopped, and then, the doorknob turned slowly, carefully, a screeching sound beginning as the door was pushed open.


	4. Return To The Scene

Hey everyone! Yes, I'm working! Gosh, it's been crazy. I just wanted to let everyone know I really, really appreciate all the reviews, good and bad! They make me want to keep trying my hardest to improve, for your sakes! :D Keep it up! You have all been great with the critiques! They help so much! In case your wondering, I've been listening and re-listening to Perfect Two, by Auburn while writing this. *hint hint* I love the song. XD

Anyway, enough chit-chat! Now to finish writing! Haha, I'm pumped after the episode Tuesday! Kidnappings, yay! Which brings me to the next chapter here, *hint hint*. This is a really boring chapter. -_- So sorry. Enjoy, review if you can, and thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer: **I'm really getting tired of these things. Me no own. Mkay?

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Standing in the now opened doorway, was a dark figure. The three teens stood in their respective positions in the room, staring back at the person. No sound emitted from either party, and the room had fallen into an eerie silence. No one moved. The figure finally broke the silence.

She stepped into the room, crossing her arms across her chest and tapping her foot. "Can I help you?" the women sneered, glancing between the three.

Henry let out a sigh of relief, but it was far fetched. They weren't out of trouble just yet. He took a step towards her, looking around the room. Whoever she was, this women wasn't someone anyone recognized. She was middle aged, with long brown hair and blue eyes. They were daggers, piercing through them, making everyone squirm.

"Uh, we're, just here, cleaning!" Jasper chipped in, picking up a dirty cloth that lay on the desk.

"Nice try. But I'm the one that does the cleaning. What are you really doing in a private office without permission?" she growled, clearly impatient and not prepared to work with them. Henry took the chance, quickly jumping towards the window and prying at the grimy surface. Jasper lifted the box, dragging it towards Henry as he worked the window open swiftly. Maggie was still rooted to the spot, but as she made a move to follow Henry and Jasper, the women had already gotten a hold of her, restraining her tightly.

By then, the window had been shifted away and Henry was already on the other side, lifting the box through it. He took one look into the room and nearly burst back in. "Maggie!"

Jasper took one look behind him and saw her, held tightly from behind. The cloth that had been on the desk was shoved into her mouth and tied behind her, leaving her voice silenced. Jasper was going to push the women away, but there was no use. The man who had hit Henry a few days before had strode into the room, making a run for the window. With a last glance at Maggie, who had been shaking her head at them the entire time, he lifted himself out of the window and slammed it closed. As he stole one last glance into the window, Maggie was already being dragged away, and the man had lifted a gun to the window.

Jasper jumped to, standing beside the cousin. Henry stood, his grip tight on the box in his arms. He hadn't budged, and Jasper found himself pushing him away from the shop. "Henry! Getting caught too isn't going to help Maggie now!" he shouted, which seemed to snap Henry out of his trance.

The two cousins made a run for the road, but luck didn't seem to be on their side. As they burst into the yard in front of the shop, none other than Eddie Macintosh stood before them. He recognized them immediately, and made a grab for them. They where able to dodge his slow and clumsy movements easily, but in the process Jasper dropped his wallet.

His wallet. A simple, small chunk of blue fabric, with his name embroidered on the front in capitalized black letters. The wallet that Maggie had given him for Christmas two years ago. The wallet that held everything, minus cash. His driver's license, his credit card, a small list of important phone numbers (Dad's, Maggie's, and Henry's), and a photograph of the three after solving the Ruby mystery.

As they ran, Eddie Macintosh made sneer comments at them, waving a hand in the air. Huffing, he turned as the boys disappeared from sight, and spotted the blue square in the dirt. Lifting it, a grin spread across his face, a grin just like the cat that ate the canary. He walked back into the shopm where his partners brought out an already tied up Maggie. Eddie was already planning how to get them all to cooperate, and find _him _the money. And he barley had to lift a finger.

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"Henry! Stop your pacing before you ware a hole through my floor!" Jasper cried from where he lay on his bed. Henry, who had been deep in though, was pulled away by the sound of his cousin's voice. They hadn't spoken in about an hour, and the noise seemed oddly foreign in the air.

"What?" he finally asked, voice hoarse from the long silence. Henry watched Jasper, his feet not once ceasing to stop their movement. He had been walking back and forth in front of Jasper's bed for quite some time.

"If you fall through the floor, don't think I'll save you." Jasper warned, placing his hands over his face, rubbing roughly. Henry gave him a confused look, obviously having no clue what he was talking about. The fact that he had completely missed the first half of what Jasper had said didn't seem to help, either.

A shrill sound joined their bickering in the air. The two stopped, and Henry pulled his cell phone from his pocket. The number was unknown, and marked Private. Reluctantly, he flipped the phone open and held it to his ear. "Hello?" he asked, almost uncertainly.

Henry stood like that for a minute, finally letting the phone fall onto the bed, a disconnected tone just notable in the air.

"We have to get Maggie." Henry finally said, looking up at Jasper with determined eyes. He finally stopped pacing, standing directly in front of Jasper's bed. From where he sat, Jasper could see that Henry's hands were shaking.

"Hate to break it to you, cuz, but don't you think that's what I've been planning for the past hour?" he replied with sad eyes. With a sigh, he threw a piece of crumpled up paper at the waste bin. He missed, of course, and it joined the rest of the papers that had been tossed in the same direction over the course of an hour.

"That's it!" Henry said suddenly, striding towards the waste bin and lifting a few of the papers into his hands, holding them up as if they were the most important things in the world.

"What? My failed planning. . .?" Jasper asked, clearly confused and clueless. Henry shook his head, returning to Jasper, dropping the crumples pages onto the bed.

"We need that greeting card back, but Maggie's got it. What did it say, exactly?" Henry pressed, looking at Jasper expectedly.

Jasper closed his eyes, lost in though. "Hh, um. . . " he snapped his fingers, snapping his eyes open as well. "Hello? Uh, something about his dog. . . Right under your big, fat nose." he pulled his mind back to thoughts, but Henry already had what he needed.

"Jasper! That's it! You're a genius!" he cried, walked out of the room quickly , grabbing a coat of the way.

"Thanks! Can you tell my dad that?" he called after him, already standing and racing out the door after his cousin.


	5. Lost Without A Clue

Now, something really begins. I know I know, the last chapter was a joke! XD I'm sorry, it had to happen. Can't have exciting cliff-hangers all the time. But this might give you one. Sort of. Haha, okay it is! Baha, because I felt the last chapter was so very un-interesting, I'm update twice. In. one. DAY! Shocker! Actually, I've got the next two chapters already planned, so I needed to write before I forgot.

Oh, and no one has really asked, but the "Locker Stalker" sub-plot in the episode isn't going to appear in this story. I thought about it, but decided to let it revolve around the Dillinger Mystery. So, just thought I'd let you know that. Now, on to the chapter five! Yay! I'm excited! So, before you go all detail on me, I do know that the bottle is found in the hood of the car, but for this stories sake, work with what I change, mkay? That's why it's called a re-write. Just making that clear.

Now, please review, and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Again, nope. Don't own.

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The red smart car pulled up to the National Museum Complex at approximately 6:23 pm. The sun was just beginning it's decent back down to the horizon, and the day was growing chilly. Birds didn't sing, yet crickets didn't chirp. It was just that odd passage between day and night that left the air silent. Henry Griffin and Jasper Bartlett had just gotten out of the car, each slamming the door shut a little to forcefully.

"Henry, are you sure this can't wait? The museum closes in a few minutes." Jasper groaned, but didn't get a response. Henry was already walking towards the entrance, pushing the door open and walking inside. Jasper shook his head, glancing around him before running after Henry.

They slinked through corridors and down hallways quietly, and once a janitor walked by, grumbling something on his way past. Otherwise the museum was silent, ready for closing. Jasper looked out of a window on the second floor, and he caught a glimpse of the head director heading towards the parking lot.

"That's it, we're in. Night guard arrives at 8, and the only other security till them are the cameras and guard in the office downstairs." Jasper found himself rambling, and stopped as they entered the room the Dillinger car was located. Henry approached it quickly, already feeling the sides for a way to gain entrance again. Jasper followed more slowly, running a hand over the back of the car as he made a way around it.

A door clicked from somewhere, and both stopped in their tracks. The door closed with a muffled thud, and soon the footsteps that had been to far away to hear came into their earshot. Henry and Jasper exchanged frantic looks, suddenly searching for any way they could hide. Jasper looked down at where his hand and gripped the handle of the Dillinger cars trunk. With a difficult tug, the trunk swung open, and Jasper climbed inside. The footsteps were quickly approaching, the echo of each step bouncing off the walls of the empty room. Henry followed suit, and with a click, the trunk door shut above them.

The footsteps that they had nearly escaped were growing louder still, and Henry and Jasper glanced at each other, easily proud of their escape. As the footsteps faded, Henry lifted a hand above his head to find a latch.

One that wasn't there. He stopped, before lifting another hand up and feeling the trunk top. It was smooth. There was nothing there for them to open the door to escape. Jasper finally realized Henry's frantic antics and stared at his cousin with wide eyes.

"Oh no. No! Don't tell me we're trapped in this metal hunk of death!" he said, now too joining in Henry's search for an opening. But to no avail. The trunk was completely smooth, no latch, no opening, no exit.

They were trapped in their own escape.

"Henry, this trunk wouldn't happen to be air-tight, would it?" Jasper inquired, lost in thought.

"Well. . . "Henry began, but he didn't need to finish the thought. In about an hour or two, they would suffocate, and the guard had just passed, he wouldn't be back till his replacement showed up at 8. And by them, time would have already run out.

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Soon after their imprisonment, Jasper had found himself holding his breath for longer periods of time. The air was already growing heavy, and the dark space felt as though it were closing in, getting tighter and tighter. Jasper shifted uncomfortably in the small space, a hand pushing at the side. He found himself kicking at the back, but the sound that sent through the air wasn't just of banging metal, but of, glass?

Jasper fumbled with his feet, until they were able to loosely grasp something that resembled the shape of a bottle. With much effort, and Henry already pushing himself as much as he could out of his way, Jasper stretched forward and was able to grasp the item.

"What is it?" Henry asked, leaning closer. The dark confined space had no light, and they could only make out the shape of things. Jasper held the glassy item close to his face, but that didn't help any.

"No use. I can hardly see anything in here." Jasper confirmed, dropping his hand back to his side, item still held tightly in his hand. The confinement of the trunk was closing in further still. Jasper gave released a shaking breath, closing his eyes tightly. As if if he wished hard enough, this would turn out to be a dream and he would wake up at any moment.

But he didn't. And soon, he felt his mind begin to drift. No matter how hard he tried, Jasper couldn't pull thoughts together. He opened his eyes, but even the dark shapes that were visible had begun to melt together.

"Henry. Looks like this is it, buddy." he whispered.

"Jasper-" Henry spoke, his voice hoarse, but Jasper quickly stopped him.

"Look Henry. This is impossible. We're done for. I just wanted to say, I'm glad we're cousins." Jasper spoke slowly, finally shutting his eyes. His throat tightened, and it was getting harder and harder to take air in.

"Impossible. . . Is found only, in the dictionary of fools." Henry chocked out, eyes to shutting, as he slipped into a more complete, and silent, darkness.


	6. Savior From The Dark

Haha, love the enthusiastic reviews you guys are giving. XD So forward and demanding, now are we? I'm only kidding. I appreciate the input! Now, to answer only one question that was asked -

"Will Henry and Maggie get together?": Yes, as a matter of fact. Soon, I promise you! =D I know there hasn't really been any fluff between characters. Sorry, hope this chapter will hold you over for a little while. ;)

As for the rest of your questions and concerns, well you'll just have to keep reading. Like I said, I've had this chapter and the last planned for a while, sorry if you get a slight déjà vu. Otherwise, enjoy! Please review!

**Disclaimer: **Again, I do not own. So you do not sue.

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So this was it? Jasper took in a last shaky breathe, aware that Henry had all to quickly stopped speaking. He shut his eyes, and the darkness blurred, if darkness could do that? He found himself thinking of his dad, of Henry, who was like a brother to him, and Maggie. Who would save her when they were gone? With a last, clumsy effort, Jasper banged at the side of the trunk, all thoughts leaving him.

The trunk popped open, the sound echoing through the room. A messy figure pushed open the door, instantly in a state of panic. "Jasper! Henry!" came the cry, as the figure franticly looking around the room. Jasper was finally, with much difficulty, lifted out of the trunk. He fell to the floor, coughing.

Sweet air filled his lungs, and Jasper clutched his throat, which burned from the oxygen that it had been deprived of for to long. He tried to stutter something to his savior, but words couldn't find their way to his mouth. He looked up at the person, blurry from his eyesight, who had managed to drag Henry out of the car and onto the floor.

Unlike Jasper, Henry was oddly motionless, laying limply on his back. At that moment, Jasper's eyes came into focus and he was able to get a good look at their savor. Maggie was kneeling beside Henry, her black hair a complete mess of tangles. Her clothes were dirty, and she had a smudge of grim on her cheek. It looked as though she had made a makeshift bandage around her arm using a handkerchief, which was stained red with blood. He was pulled from his thoughts when Maggie screamed something at him.

As Jasper still continued to struggle for breath, Maggie was frantically speaking to Henry, who had yet to move. She lifted his hand, which lay limply by his side, feeling for a pulse.

There was none.

Margret Winnock took matters to her own extreme. Flashes of the First Aid classes returned to her, and she quickly placed her hands over his chest, being to pump as she counted mentally. After thirty, Maggie tilted the boy's head back slightly, clasping her figures over his nose and leaning forward. Her lips met his in a cold lock that still sent shivers down her spine. Maggie inhaled, and let the breath enter him. After a second breath, she felt a hand placed on her shoulder.

But it wasn't what she expected. Henry had lifted a hand to rest it lightly on her shoulder, keeping her from moving. The lip-lock of life morphed into something different, and both responded to a passionate kiss. As they broke apart, Henry's hand moved to take hers, and they sat like that for a while, just holding one another. He smiled gently, lifting a finger to brush the smudge from her cheek.

Maggie was pulled from her trance first. With quick movements, she whacked Henry over the back of the head, a look of anger and concern mixed on her face, although it was clear worry won out. "Henry Griffin, if you ever scare me like that again, I'll kill you myself." she warned, lifting herself from the ground, and offering him a hand.

As they stood, Henry still clearly out of breath, Jasper appeared by their side, having regained his own strength. "Maggie! How did you escape? How'd you find us?" he questioned first, pulling her into a tight embrace. He quickly realized this and backed away, waiting for a response.

"Please. Just because I'm no macho man doesn't mean I can't get away myself." she defended herself, and all of women kind. Henry leaned on her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "And, the fact that they are terrible with knots helped to my advantage." she explained, glancing at Henry.

"Fine fine, but that doesn't explain my second question. How'd you find us?" he pressed, clearly still in shock.

"Well, you weren't home, so I though to myself, 'What would Henry and Jasper be doing if I was missing?'" she explained. "And, I came to the conclusion that you would be trying to solve our mystery, because find the money, find me, eventually."

Jasper nodded, and suddenly remembered why they were standing in the museum in the first place. He launched himself towards the Dillinger car, rummaging inside the trunk.

"What are you doing?" she finally asked. Jasper looked at her, holding up the bottle he had found. There was a grin plastered on his face, and Henry stumbled forward, looking at the bottle.

"It's a rum bottle." Henry said, taking it and observing the label. Maggie stepped towards them, looking over his shoulder.

"That's Hoover." she confirmed, pointing to the man on the label.

Jasper was already ahead of them, pulling a magnifying glass from his pocket and taking the bottle back. "Let's see what's under his nose. . ." he muttered, squinting his eyes to read the man's lips.

"Capital Sea Breeze Wreaking." That's here in D.C." Maggie confirmed, looking between the two.

"Okay, but it's Tuesday. We can't risk getting caught. We'll have to wait till Saturday to check it out." Jasper said, gently pulling off the label and stuffing it in his pocket.

"Right. Come one, get we go home? I'm suddenly, really tired." Maggie said, swaying slightly. Henry quickly stepped beside her, steadying her on her feet. She glanced at him, a silent thank you passed between them.

"Uh guys? One problem." Jasper said, looking around the room. Henry and Maggie looked up at him with questioning eyes. Their hands where clamped together.

"How are we going to get back out of here?"


	7. Here  We Go Again

Okay, so being a sophomore isn't half as bad as my freshmen year was. Homework loads aren't as large, and the AP courses have evened out so much after freshmen year's work loaded weeded out the slackers. I'm still sleep deprived as ever, darn insomnia. :/ Buuut, not mounds of homework! Therefore, you, dear readers, are getting an update in the middle. Of. The. WEEK! Wahoo! :D

So, I spent a good twenty minutes going back and reading and re-reading my incomplete Unnatural History stories, trying to figure out which one was going to get the update. This poor story has been neglected for over a month. That long, I know! So, I'm trying to get at least SOMETHING up. Can you guys believe this story was indented to be a one-shot form the beginning? Now, 7 chapters and over 10,000 words later (yes, we crossed the mark with this chapter) we're only about half-way through!

I hope this chapter will hold you over for a while. ;) Please review and let me know what you think! This chapter sort of took it's own turn. I wasn't originally intended to result in another injure, but I so love torturing my favorite characters, Criticism is accepted! Thanks, guys!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Unnatural History or the characters and main plot.

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The beige colored walls of the museum exhibit currently holding our trio captive played shadows like a movie screen. The moonlight shone through the skylight above, forming all sorts of different shapes in the shadows. Sitting lined along one of the far walls, were Jasper, Henry and Maggie, in that order. At first, the silence had been a comfort, a blessing, a joy.

That just goes to show what three hours in an eerie, dark museum will do to you. _'Tap, tap, tap.' _Maggie had placed herself a comfortable, yet close distance away from Henry, sitting with her legs pulled close to her chest and her chin on her knees. _'Tap, tap, tap.'_ Henry was leaning agents the wall, eyes closed, obviously deep in thought. _'Tap, tap, tap.' _Jasper was sitting cross-legged, staring out one of the massive windows at the night sky, figures drumming the floor rhythmically. _'Tap, tap, tap.'_

"Would you cut that out!" Maggie cried, lifting her head sharply to glare at Jasper. He shot her a look in return.

"Why, does it bother you?" he asked in a mocking tone, continuing to tap his figures on the floor. _'Tap, tap, tap.'_ Maggie fumed, already pushing herself from the floor.

"Hey, cut that out you two!" Henry interjected, putting a hand on Maggie's knee before she could stand. Both she and Jasper turned in opposite direction and crossed their arms, huffing like five-year-olds. "Oh come on! We should be putting our heads together to try and find a solution to this problem. Jasper? Maggie?" Henry sighed, shaking his head slowly. Neither of the two sitting on either side of him made any effort to move.

Henry leaned forward and whispered something in Maggie's ear. His warm breathe tickled her neck, and she smiled without realizing it. It was just what he did to her, and no matter how often she told herself they just couldn't be right for each other, it was moments like these that told her the complete opposite.

She shifted, turning to face the blond haired boy, a look of defeat planted on her face. "Fine. I'm sorry, it's just. Not a lot of oxygen is getting to my head right now." she muttered, letting out a long breath.

"Really, I don't recall it being you in that trunk. . ." Jasper mumbled, receiving a hard elbow in the side from Henry. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Can we just figure out a way out of here?" he groaned.

"Well, we could-"

"Without, breaking something, damaging property, being caught, seen, noticed or getting grounded for life my dad." Jasper cut in, and Henry stopped talking immediately. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, and Henry jumped up suddenly, eyes searching the darkness. Jasper and Maggie were beside him in an instant, following his gaze.

"What?" Maggie asked, glancing from the Dillinger car to the museum entrance, leading into a hall. Henry lifted a hand up in front of her, asking for silence. He stood stock still, the only visible sign of movement being his eyes, darting back and forth.

"Heads up!" Henry called suddenly, whirling around and pushing both teens down quickly. Everything happened so suddenly, in a whirlwind of actions. As he fell forward, a spiraling circular blade flew through the air, slicing through fabric and skin, before stopping embedded into the opposite wall.

Blood trickled on to the floor in a sticky red pool. The silence of the night was suddenly more frightening that it had been only minutes before. The crouching figure held tightly to an arm as the scarlet substance continued to stain the floor.

Maggie was beside him in an instant, grasping for the limp arm dripping blood. Henry didn't once move from his position, covering the long cut best he could. Maggie lowered her head to peer into his eyes. They shifted slightly to lock with hers, and slowly, he removed his hand, revealing the angry wound that would not only call for disinfecting, but for stitches and medical treatment, fast. The cut was more a gash burned into his tanned skin.

Jasper glanced up at them, got one good look at the blood pooling on the floor, and abruptly turned away and started taking deep breathes. "Henry, shit. What are we going to do. Sorry cuz, I can't take blood." he said between his breathing. "We need to get out of here."

"No duh, Jasper!' Maggie snapped, anger flashing before her light chocolate eyes. She quickly turned her attention back to Henry, tugging off her thin hoodie. Henry hadn't said anything in the time, and now was trying to stop the bleeding using the shredded remains of this shirt sleeve. Maggie ripped the white fabric sleeves of her hoodie with slight difficulty, and gently batted his trying hand away. She pressed the mach-shift bandage to the cut, the white fabric blooming red almost instantly.

"Jasper, do something!" she cried, thought they all knew it was no use. Her eyes fell suddenly on the Dillinger car, and a thought formed in her mind. Tugging apart the remains of the hoodie, she tied it tightly around Henry's bleeding arm, hoisting him to his feet with great difficulty.

"Jasper, go honk the horn of the car." she instructed, already walked towards an entrance leading towards the exit of the museum, Henry following, much with no say.

"What?" he asked as he stood, cleverly avoiding making eye contact with the spilled blood only a yard away. Maggie spun around on her heels, pointing to the car. "Just. Do it!" she demanded, turning back around and leaning agents the wall near the entrance, where Henry had already taken position.

With a cautious last glance around, he strode towards the blue car, reaching out a hand. He looked back at the two teens leaning agents the wall, and something suddenly clicked. Maggie nodded, and he pushed down hard on the old steering wheel. Much to his surprise, the car emitted a loud, high-pitched honk. Jasper pushed down twice more, and jogged towards the others, taking up position.

Almost as if on cue, the heavy-stepping security guard rushed into the display room, flashlight shining on the silent car. Once he had stepped closer, the three shuffled out of the room, making a run for the stairs. Elevator would be to risky, so they stormed down the stairway as quickly as possible, small beads of blood dripping to the floor every few steps.

The trio burst out of the museum and made a blind run for Jasper's Smart car. The moon was hidden behind dark angry clouds, and offered them no light to see by. After much difficulty, Jasper was able to find the handle to the drivers side and open the door. The inside of the car allowed them enough light to see by as they tried to stuff into the tiny vehicle.

"Great. You know, I've been to the hospital more times in the past few months than I have in my entire life." Jasper grumbled, starting the car and pulling out of the museum parking lot. Maggie sat sandwiched in between the cousins, for obvious reasons. Jasper would never be able to drive with Henry's bloody left arm pressing agents his side.

Henry was staring out the window, eyes locked on some unknown object. Maggie glanced at Jasper. The boy had had a crush on her for practically five years now. She didn't want to hurt the boy who'd been with her through thick and thin, but no matter how much Maggie tried to convince herself, she just didn't share his feelings. Jasper caught her staring, and his eyes shifted to glance at her for a moment. They held understanding, a silent trust and bond that nothing would split. In a second, Jasper's eyes were glued to the road once more.

Maggie sighed, looking at Henry again. He was hurting, though trying much to hard not to show it. The cut was what worried Maggie most. In the jumble, they hadn't taken a closer look at the spiraling blade that had done the damage. Any such rust or bacteria that made contact with his skin could make Henry very ill. Maggie rested her head lightly on the boy's shoulder, and his head snapped from the surroundings outside to look at her. She kept her eyes closed, exhaustion suddenly overtaking her. Her thoughts blurred, and as she drifted into sleep, she felt the gentle stroking of his unharmed hand on her hair. She knew it was his hand, from the simple smell of him. Cinnamon and mint. She smiled, mind filled with pleasant thoughts for the time as she finally slipped into unconsciousness.


End file.
